Wire-tightener and fence-ratchet



( No Model.)

, W E JUDY 8a J ROBESON WIRE TIGHTENER AND FENCE RATGHET. No. 592,787

Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

Fig.4.

Fig.8.

mmws as. Mentors 6mm; 7 By fllzorney.

ATFENT FIQEQ WILLIAM E. JUDY AND JOHN ROBESON, OF NEAR GREENVILLE, OHIO.

WIRE-TIGHTENER AND FENCE-RATCHET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,787, dated November2, 1897.

I Application filed July 6,1897. Serial No. 643,612. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM E. JUDY and JOHN ROBESON, citizens of theUnited States, residing near Greenville, in the county of Darke andState of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement uponWVire-Tighteners and Fence-Ratchets, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in ratchets for the purpose oftightening and keeping thoroughly stretched any long strands of wirerequired to be kept tight, such as wires used in the construction ofWire fences.

The objects of our improvement are to provide a ratchet and tightenerthat may be put on the wire midway between fastenings, that will belight and easily put on the fence or other wire, that will beself-locking with the simplest mechanism and the fewest movable parts,that will permit the tension of wire to be held at any required degree,that will avoid excessive weight and a cumbersome appliance, and thatwill be a machine more easily put on the wire and will hold moresecurely.

than anyother wire-tightener or fence-ratchet. These objects areobtained by the mechanism illustrated in the drawings heretofore-filedand described as follows:

This tightener consists of a disk wheel, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4:, and 6,with a rim B B projecting on one side, the rim being made into a ratchetO 0, together with a projecting hub D D, slotted, notched, and grooved;also of a wrench, Figs. 5, 7, and 9, fitted to this hub for the purposeof winding up the wire.

Fig. 1 represents the flat side of the disk with square hole, which isdenominated in this specification the outside of the wheel.

Fig. 3 represents the reverse side of the wheel, and is denominated inthis specification the inside, and also shows the wire W W in thenotches. Fig. 2represents a View of the edge of the disk, showing theprojecting rim, the ratchet-notches, the projecting hub with wire coiledabout the same and caught in the ratchet-notch. Figs. 4 and 6 showreverse views of the edge of the wheel with part of the rim broken toshow the hub, the slots, the notches in these slots, and the shallowgroove from the notches. Figs. 5, 7, and 9 show the wrench. Fig. 8 showsthe square-ended lug with round head and slot for the movablehandle-bar.

This tightener may be made of any convenient size, and it may be made ofcast-iron or any other suitable material.

The improvement in this ratchet consists in having the edge of theprojecting rim of the wheel supplied with sixteen ratchet-teeth O C,Fig. 2. These ratchet-teeth, instead of being square projections, as inmost other ratchets, have a slope to the bottom of the notch atone-fourth pitch, and the bottom of these notchesis round to fit a N0. 8or smaller fencewire. By having these ratchet-teeth thus sloped thetightener is held more securely to the wire, and by having the largenumber of teeth on the rim of the wheel the tightener may be stopped atany point and any required tension of the wire may be obtained. The hubof the wheel, which projects within the rim, has two slots E E inopposite sides, Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings filed herein, for thepurpose of allowing the tightener to be slipped over the wire. Insteadof having a flange at the inner end of this hub, 'as in some ratchets,so as to form a sort of spool with which to hold the wire, two (or more,if desired) notches F F are put on one side of each slot, so as to beexactly opposite each other,Figs.4 and 6. These notches fit upon thewire when the tightener is put on and avoid the necessity of any othercontriva-nce to enable the machine to be started. At the outer edge ofeach notch in the slots in the hub a shallow groove G G, Figs. 4 and 6,extends in a spiral toward the disk of the wheel for a short distancearound the hub. By means of these notches and the shallow groove thewire is firmly held in place and caused to roll always toward the diskof the Wheel, and

thereby is pressed firmly against the ratchet- The slots in the hub arecarried deeper than those on any other similar ratchet, and thus permitthis machine to be put on very loose wire as well as upon wires thatrequire but little tightening.

The Wrench consists of a square-ended lug II, Fig. 8, with round headupon a movable hand1e-bar K K, Fig. 9. The square end is constructed tofit into the square hole in the outer end of the hub L, Fig. 1. Thiswrench, it is be1ieved,-will be found more convenient for all purposesthan any otherv device for the purpose of moving the ratchet.

\Vhat we claim for this improvement and invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A metallic wire-tightener or ratchet with wrench or key, having adisk with a projectnotches around the hub toward the disk; all 30substantially as set forth.

\VILLIAM E. JUDY. JOHN ROBESON. Witnesses:

A. M. BUOHWALTER, W. B. IIoUGH.

